Talking to Our Kids

Over dinner the other night RR started telling us about the 9/11 tragedy.  Some of his information was incorrect, but it was mostly not understood by his eight year old brain.  When I asked him where he learned about 9/11, my brain raking for answers and concerned about his impression of this date, he answered "Mr. Baker our music teacher.  We're leaning songs about."  Oh dear.  "Oh and Iush told me, we watched videos about it at his house."  Iush being the boy that lives across the street.  Double oh dear.

I quickly and quietly blamed myself for not talking to him about it sooner.  But like most things in life, that are BIG subjects I've waited for him to ask me.  Once he has asked me I haven't skated around the truth, but have rather chosen the direct and simple answer approach.  We've had a few BIG talks in the last year.  We've talked about his biological father and the past with him.  We've talked about how babies are born.

But why do I skirt around other subjects?  Why didn't I set him straight about 9/11 when he brought it up?  Why when he asks about Santa I don't tell him the flat out truth?  Rather I use the cop out "Santa is a feeling during the season."  This kid has been questioning Santa since he was like 5, if not earlier.  Dam... girl, get over it and just tell the kid the truth.  Why is Santa such a big deal?  Maybe because I'm not ready to admit he's growing up, and ready to talk about world events like 9/11.

And all this thinking about talking has made me wonder about talking to him about his Asperger's.  He's heard Husband and I mention it, the word is not foreign to him.  Does he know more about it than I expect? Family, friends and the various mental health professionals seem to be split on talking to kids on the Autism spectrum about their disorder(s).  Some camps are all for, the more information the better.  Other camps stress not telling your child they are different.  But really who is to say a nuerotypical person is normal?  What is the deciding factor?

I know I certainly don't want him learning about sex for the first time in the boys locker room in middle school.  So I guess telling him about Asperger's in the same thing.  Now to figure out how and when to talk to him.  Yeah, how.  Is there a parenting manual on this subject?

I suppose while I am at it I should tell him about Santa, the next time he asks that is.  Oh the joys of parenthood!!

Finding Sleep

The other night as I was tossing and turning in bed, trying to find a comfortable position and I got to thinking, when do we loose the ability to sleep in any position?

When I checked on RR last night it became apparent that this sleep any-position ability is still possible at age eight.  RR listens to jazz music on his laptop while he falls asleep, usually Billie Holiday.  And usually the laptop is on his desk or his computer chair while he listens and falls asleep.  I guess last night the laptop never made it off his bed, once he got his music set-up.

So why not add a blanket and make it a lap-top pillow?  I've heard they're all the rage in Japan.

Here's some pictures of the boys sleeping in apparently comfortable sleeping positions, despite how they look.